I recently attended a conference in which Russell Moore was one of the keynote speakers. Moore is the president of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention. Some of you may know him from his many appearances on the 24 hours news channels over the past year or two.

At that conference we were given his new book entitled “Onward: Engaging the Culture without Losing the Gospel.” It’s a book that addresses the many challenges that Christians face living in what many today are referring to as a Post-Christian culture. Moore suggests that believers take a more positive outlook on our situation than giving in to the thought of defeat and retreat.

Moore writes, “I think the future of the church is incandescently bright. That’s not because of promises made at Independence Hall, but a promise made at Caesarea Philippi. “I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” (Matthew 16:18)

I agree with Moore! We need to get back to the message of Peter in the opening chapters of Acts. He built his message around the words of Jesus in Acts 1 that were about the Kingdom of God more than the kingdoms of this world. In Acts 1:3 it says, “He (Jesus) presented himself to them and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive.” That should be the Christian’s message today!

In chapter 3 of his book, Moore speaks about this in depth. He writes about how Christians today so often get caught up in the moment that they forget the long term plan of God. He says, “The kingdoms of the moment, whatever they are, seem more important than the kingdom of Christ, without our ever realizing it. That’s why our blood pressure is more likely to rise when we hear someone disagree with us about our political party or our sports team or an item in the news than when we hear faulty teaching from a Christian pulpit.”

What I hear him saying there is that we need to get our perspective back. We need to refine and refresh our message about Jesus and God’s kingdom. We need to pattern our lives after what we truly long for and what Christ has called us to as his followers. Moore says that when we do that it will change the content and the tone of our witness. It will be more about God’s kingdom and less about earthly kingdom. I would suggest that Peter gives us a great example of that in the New Testament. Come to Arthur Mennonite Church this Sunday and hear more!

Make it personal: Ask yourself something this week. What is my kingdom of the moment? What is ruling over you this week? What disturbs you and is robbing you of God’s peace? What is upsetting to you? What is weighing you down? I would like to suggest that you take some time to pray and give that God. Ask the Lord to make his Kingdom and the his promises your focus instead of all those other false kingdoms that Satan wants you to think are more important. May God’s Kingdom reign in your life, my life, and in the life of all believers!